MicroRNA-138 and microRNA-25 down-regulate mitochondrial calcium uniporter, causing the pulmonary arterial hypertension cancer phenotype

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Hong, Zhigang and Chen, Kuang-Hueih and DasGupta, Asish and Potus, Francois and Dunham-Snary, Kimberly and Bonnet, Sebastien and Tian, Lian and Fu, Jennifer and Breuils-Bonnet, Sandra and Provencher, Steeve and Wu, Danchen and Mewburn, Jeffrey and Ormiston, Mark L. and Archer, Stephen L. (2017) MicroRNA-138 and microRNA-25 down-regulate mitochondrial calcium uniporter, causing the pulmonary arterial hypertension cancer phenotype. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 195 (4). pp. 515-529. ISSN 1535-4970 (https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.201604-0814OC)

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Abstract

Rationale: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an obstructive vasculopathy characterized by excessive pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation, migration, and apoptosis resistance. This cancer-like phenotype is promoted by increased cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]cyto), aerobic glycolysis, and mitochondrial fission. Objectives: To determine how changes in mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) complex (MCUC) function influence mitochondrial dynamics and contribute to PAH’s cancer-like phenotype. Methods: PASMCs were isolated from patients with PAH and healthy control subjects and assessed for expression of MCUC subunits. Manipulation of the pore-forming subunit, MCU, in PASMCs was achieved through small interfering RNA knockdown or MCU plasmid-mediated up-regulation, as well as through modulation of the upstream microRNAs (miRs) miR-138 and miR-25. In vivo, nebulized anti-miRs were administered to rats with monocrotaline-induced PAH. Measurements and Main Results: Impaired MCUC function, resulting from down-regulation of MCU and up-regulation of an inhibitory subunit, mitochondrial calcium uptake protein 1, is central to PAH’s pathogenesis. MCUC dysfunction decreases intramitochondrial calcium ([Ca2+]mito), inhibiting pyruvate dehydrogenase activity and glucose oxidation, while increasing [Ca2+]cyto, promoting proliferation, migration, and fission. In PAH PASMCs, increasing MCU decreases cell migration, proliferation, and apoptosis resistance by lowering [Ca2+]cyto, raising [Ca2+]mito, and inhibiting fission. In normal PASMCs, MCUC inhibition recapitulates the PAH phenotype. In PAH, elevated miRs (notably miR-138) down-regulate MCU directly and also by decreasing MCU’s transcriptional regulator cAMP response element–binding protein 1. Nebulized anti-miRs against miR-25 and miR-138 restore MCU expression, reduce cell proliferation, and regress established PAH in the monocrotaline model. Conclusions: These results highlight miR-mediated MCUC dysfunction as a unifying mechanism in PAH that can be therapeutically targeted.

ORCID iDs

Hong, Zhigang, Chen, Kuang-Hueih, DasGupta, Asish, Potus, Francois, Dunham-Snary, Kimberly, Bonnet, Sebastien, Tian, Lian ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9699-8009, Fu, Jennifer, Breuils-Bonnet, Sandra, Provencher, Steeve, Wu, Danchen, Mewburn, Jeffrey, Ormiston, Mark L. and Archer, Stephen L.;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)